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December 2016 //
Canadian Government Executive /
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Program Evaluation
Evaluation Goals:
T
he non-profit sector is operat-
ing within an era of increased
accountability, both vertical
and lateral. It is part of good
governance. At one point or another, non-
profits must explain how they will ensure
that project goals are being met, for the
sake of their funders or accreditors (verti-
cal accountability). Moreover, non-profit
health organizations exist to meet the
needs of the public, and to improve their
health and wellness. Planned, effective
evaluation audits (lateral accountability)
help organizations improve this commit-
ment towards the public and the people
they serve. Unfortunately, consistent, high
quality evaluation is not always common
practice among non-profit agencies.
How is an Evaluation Audit
Useful?
The term “evaluation audit,” first coined by
Ernest House of the University of Colorado
in 1987, represents a systematic review of
an organization’s evaluation activities. As a
quality improvement initiative, the review
is used to measure the level of compliance
between pre-defined evaluation policy or
standards and practice at that organiza-
tion. Such a process assesses the efficiency
of the management system, and can vali-
date the reach, relevancy, effectiveness,
efficiency, impact, and sustainability of the
system without incurring additional risk
to any users or staff. It can also identify the
unique drivers of efficient program evalu-
ation practices.
Miranda Saroli,
AKM Alamgir,
Morris Beckford,
Sonja Nerad,
Axelle Janczur
Implementing an Evaluation Audit Practice in a Toronto Non-Profit Agency